This Town Built By Women Was Destroyed In The California Fires—Here's How To Help Them Rebuild

Wildfires continue to rage across the Sierra Nevada foothills and the Los Angeles shoreline. Since Thursday, around 200,000 acres have burned. Among the cities damaged: Pulga, an old mining town in Northern California.

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First born of the indigenous Concow-Maidu, it became the vibrant intersection of industrialists, laborers, and beatniks. The gold rush having long passed, the town stood for years in disrepair. In 2015, it was passed to Betsy Ann Cowley who transformed it – with a small budget and army of friends – into a sanctuary for women.

It was an impressive undertaking; they worked to restore the land in a sustainable, organic fashion. Livestock were brought in to clear the overgrown landscape, existing structures were surveyed to salvage for the new buildings. Joining Betsy were artists, stylists, businesswomen – ladies with a vision. Last year, Pulga hosted a retreat that drew 100 women. The town was nearly ready for any woman seeking for a wilderness retreat.

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Top Image: Fund to Rebuild Pulga

Tessa is a puertorriqueña / Syrian gal interested in race, women, and the arts - more specifically, their intersections. Follow her on Instagram @tessa.sol and Twitter @tessa_solo. She lives in Brooklyn.

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